Interview with Stereo Tribes!

Exclusive interview with Hands off Gretel - By Ben Stevens: This DIY grunge quartet from South Yorkshire may be the new kids on the block with only 10 gigs under their belt, but to see them live you begin to understand that they belong on stage. The bands lead singer, Lauren Tate, a seasoned music veteran with an already substantial fanbase, is a force of nature. She says “for me it’s a way to get rid of anger”, with a deafening yet melodic cry that seemingly comes from nowhere, this anger turns to raw untamed energy onstage. Adding that “the stage is somewhere you can be the class clown” its easy to see where her overbearing stage presence comes from, confidence and performance to rival the likes of Brody Dalle and My Bloody Valentine. Of course the stage energy comes from more than Lauren’s bellows, Laura Moakes hits the drums with the same anger and drive, creating the solid aggressive backbone of the 4 piece. Throw in Danny Pollard’s crunchy bass grumble and Sean McAvinue’s transcendent guitar howl and a symphony of headbanging fury is unleashed on stage. Swaying towards a more 90’s grunge influence, the songs are written by Tate and brought to life by the band’s kindred goal to “compete against my favourite bands” and inject as much fire into every

note as possible. Claiming her favourite song, Oh Shit, is so because she “can really shout” is a fairly poignant representation of what Hands Off Gretel are all about. Although relative newcomers to the wonderful world of music, Hands Off Gretel make up for it and then some with their ferocity and command of the stage, if you’re looking to let off some steam, or just watch a group of people do it professionally, be sure to get your hands on these guys.